Static block are loaded in the wrong order

Question

I've added my code to cms.xml to display static blocks in the footer. I want them to be in the following order:

• Left
• Middle
• Right

But when I check my site, they're loaded in this order:

• Right
• Left
• Middle

Here is the code I use to display the blocks

<reference name="footer">
        <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_links" before="footer_links">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_links</block_id></action>
        </block>

       <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_middle" before="footer_middle">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_middle</block_id></action>
        </block>

        <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_right" before="footer_right">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_right</block_id></action>
        </block>
 </reference>

Can anybody tell me what i'm doing wrong?

Answer 1

I see that you have before attributes in your layout.
The value of before should not be the static block id. It should be the block type="cms/block" name.
But if you want to add them in that order you should use after instead of before. Both of them work, but it's more readable using after

<reference name="footer">
    <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_links"><!-- this does not need after-->
        <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_links</block_id></action>
    </block>

   <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_middle" after="cms_footer_links"><!-- placed after `cms_footer_links` -->
        <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_middle</block_id></action>
    </block>

    <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_right" after="cms_footer_middle"><!-- placed after `cms_footer_middle` -->
        <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_right</block_id></action>
    </block>
 </reference>

Answer 2

Hi you need to in xml

Magento is managed xml block position by before and after layout tag at which is managed a block postion

See basic knowledge:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14484955/magento-xml-using-before-after-to-place-blocks-hardly-ever-works

http://www.magentocommerce.com/design_guide/articles/intro-to-layouts

<reference name="footer">
    <!-- change postion by  cms_footer_right -->
        <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_links" after="cms_footer_right">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_links</block_id></action>
        </block>

       <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_middle" after="cms_footer_links">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_middle</block_id></action>
        </block>

        <block type="cms/block" name="cms_footer_right" after="-">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footer_right</block_id></action>
        </block>
 </reference>

See study on block position

http://www.magentocommerce.com/knowledge-base/entry/controlling-block-order